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Q: I’m considering digging a pond but I hear they are a lot of work, is it worth it?

Peter – Stoughton, WI

A: Let’s be honest: pond maintenance can be a drag. Going out to your lake or pond over and over to clean up dead vegetation, fill the fish feeder, add your beneficial bacteria and check on your aeration system (not to mention all the seasonal chores) takes precious time and energy—so why bother?

Here’s some inspiration: Think about why you wanted a pond in the first place. Check out these four fabulous benefits of having a pond. They’ll remind you why all that maintenance is worth your effort.

A Cool Place to Relax

Your pond or lake is a scenic, peaceful place to snooze in a hammock or Adirondack chair, sip some cool lemonade, take in the views and just relax. It’s also a great place to hang out with family and friends and let the warm days of summer pass by. Enjoying the tranquil beauty of a pond—enhanced by Pond Logic® Pond Dye, which shades and protects the pond while adding to its color and beauty—is one of the top reasons why people have one in the first place, so it’s in your interest to keep it looking its best.

Sport Fishing

Having a lake stocked with game fish, like trout and bass, is another benefit to keeping and maintaining your pond. Any time you’d like, you can grab your fishing pole, head down to the lake and hook some tasty dinner. You can invite the kids (or grandkids) down for some catch-and-release fun. Maintaining you pond or lake—and feeding your finned friends some extra grub—will ensure a big catch every time.

Water Recreation

Do you enjoy swimming in your lake? How about boating or kayaking around—or even just floating on an inner tube? Your pond or lake is an ideal place to keep cool (and get away from your lengthy to-do list!) all summer long. When you keep your pond of lake in tip-top shape, it’ll be an inviting place to get wet, stay cool and forget about the outside world.

Support Local Wildlife

Deer, frogs, birds, dragonflies, raccoon, opossum—lots of critters (besides you and your family, of course!) make use of your pond or lake. They’ll visit for a drink of water. They’ll use it for shade and protection. They’ll even nibble at the bugs, plants and fish food, giving them sustenance throughout the year. By maintaining your pond, you’ll help support the local wildlife. And what land owner doesn’t want to do that?

Yes, maintenance can be a chore. But when you remember these four benefits to keeping a pond, you’ll (hopefully!) see those chores as a way of keeping and improving your property—and your peace of mind!

Pond Talk: What was the No. 1 reason why you decided to add (or restore) a lake or pond on your property?

What benefits are there for aerating during the winter? Drew – Galata, MT

One of the best features of an aeration system is its ability to perform all season long. Your aeration system will play a major role in breaking down the leaves and debris that made its way into the pond during the fall which will promote a healthier pond throughout the winter and easier maintenance come spring. You’ve seen the benefits of aeration all summer long but what does your aeration system have to offer in the winter?

Even in cooler temperatures an aeration system will continue to circulate the contents of your pond and infuse oxygen into the water column. The cooler water will be able to hold more oxygen which is great for the overall health of the pond and its inhabitants. As the surface water cools in the pond it will start to sink towards the ponds bottom. This shift in water can potentially break the thermocline in your pond and force harmful water from the bottom of the pond to mix into the water column trapping your fish. This is referred to as a turnover and they can happen both in warm and cold temperatures in ponds that are not being aerated. You’ve also learned from our previous blogs that running your aeration system in the winter will keep holes open in the ice that allow an escape for toxic gasses and a hole for fresh air to enter the pond. You can also move your plates closer to the shoreline of your pond to keep water open and available for wildlife to drink and birds to swim. Encouraging wildlife to visit your yard is always nice in a season where your yard can sometimes seem bland and uneventful.

Although aeration is a simple and effective way to maintain your pond throughout the winter there are a couple scenarios that warrant a winter break. If you use your pond to skate or ice fish you will not want to run your aeration system as the constant friction not only opens holes in the ice above the plates but will also thin the ice in other areas.

If you do not yet have an aeration system installed in your pond, but would like to install one before the winter, it is best to have your aerator introduced before the ice begins to form. If your pond is not already aerated it is important that you run the system in short increments at first to prevent your own man-made turnover. Start by running it for about 30 minutes the day you install it and double the run time each day after. If you follow this method you should be running your aerator 1 hour the 2nd day, 2 hours the next, 4 hours on the 4th day and should be running the aeration system continuously by the end of the week. Browse over to our Airmax® Aeration page for help selecting an aeration system that fits your pond. If you need additional help or have questions you can also feel free to contact one of our Pond Guys or Gals or post a comment on our blog page.

Pond Talk: Do you notice a healthier pond in the spring as a result of running your aeration system in the winter?